This invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for inserting terminals of an electronic part such as a transistor or an IC (integrated circuit) chip into through-holes of a printed circuit board or the like to mount the former on the latter.
One of conventional methods of mounting an electronic part is attained by the use of an automatic mounting apparatus which is disclosed, for example, in European Patent Publication No. 080512, and Japanese laid-open patent No. 57-199296.
In the automatic mounting apparatus, a so-called irregularly shaped electronic part such as a transistor or an IC chip, which is normally included in a relatively small number in a circuit board than other regularly shaped electronic parts, is grasped by a mounting head of a mechanical hand which can move in horizontal back and forth, and leftward and rightward directions, and vertical upward and downward directions. The electronic part is then mounted, by the mounting head, on a printed circuit board with straight terminals thereof inserted into through-holes of the circuit board from above. At least lower portions of two of the terminals of the electronic part which extend downwardly below the printed circuit board are bent by means of a clinch pawl provided on an anvil head to mount the electronic part so as not to be let off te circuit board.
Such a conventional method and apparatus as described above has a defect that the mounting speed is lowered for a time required to bend lower portions of the terminals of an electronic part by a clinch pawl.
It is another defect of the conventional method and apparatus that it is difficult to attain appropriate harmonization at a high speed between an operation for inserting terminals of an electronic part into through-holes of a printed circuit board by means of a mechanical hand and another operation for bending lower portions of the terminals by means of a clinch pawl of an anvil head, resulting in an obstacle to raise the speed of a mounting operation, and provision of such an anvil makes the entire apparatus expensive.